Hawke's Bay hooker Hika Elliot has been called into the New Zealand squad as a replacement for the injured Andrew Hore.

Elliot was a stand out performer for the Magpies during their charge to the Air New Zealand Cup semi-finals and many felt he was unlucky to miss out on selection in Graham Henry's initial 35-man squad. He was called into the All Blacks squad during the Tri-Nations campaign when Hore was struggling with a bruised hip but did not play.

The 22-year-old rake, who has been contracted by the Chiefs for next year's Super 14, will link up with his new team-mates in London on Monday night before they head to Edinburgh to prepare for the Test against Scotland on Saturday. The All Blacks have further Tests against Ireland, Wales and England and a midweek game against Munster.

Hore suffered a high ankle injury in the first five minutes of Saturday's 19-14 Bledisloe Cup victory against Australia in Hong Kong and although the X-ray has come back as normal All Blacks doctor Deb Robinson said the injury was deemed serious enough for him to be unable to play and he will return to New Zealand.

All Blacks captain Richie McCaw and Dan Carter have suffered similar injuries this year which kept them out for about six weeks.